1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to dehydrators and water condensers, and, more particularly, a combined dehydrator and condensed water dispenser.
2. Related Art
There is a worldwide crisis in our potable water supply. The World Bank has estimated that $600 billion must be invested in water delivery systems. The United Nations has announced a worldwide water shortage and has predicted that, by the year 2010, this crisis could be a catalyst for conflicts and wars.
Many countries of the world already have an inadequate water supply. Usable water supplies have been reduced by pollution and sewage waste.
Various means have been suggested by treating water, such as with chemicals such as chlorine or other halogens. However, the by-products of such treatment may be toxic and the result in further contamination. Treated municipal water supplies may be contaminated with lead leading to health problems in drinking such water.
Various attempts have been made to come up with a system for dehydrating fruits and vegetables and/or condensing and purifying the water produced in such systems. Known prior art patents relating to such systems are the following:
 U.S. Patent Documents3035418May 1962Wright 62/176.3675442July 1972Swanson 62/285.4204956May 1980Flatow210/87.4255937March 1981Ehrlich 62/264.5106512April 1992Reidy210/744.5149446September 1992Reidy210/744.5203989April 1993Reidy210/137.5227053July 1993Brym210/143.5259203November 1993Engel et al. 62/150.5301516April 1994Poindexter 62/126.5315830May 1994Doke et al. 62/3.5484538January 1996Woodward210/767.5517829May 1996Michael 62/272.5553459September 1996Harrison 62/93.5669221September 1997LeBleu et al. 62/92.5701749December 1997Zakryk 62/93.5704223January 1998MacPherson et al. 62/3.5845504December 1998LeBleu 62/92.6029461February 2000Zakryk 62/93.6058718May 2000Forsberg 62/92.6182453February 2001Forsberg 62/92.
Not one of the systems disclosed in the foregoing patents incorporates the specific function of extracting the humidity from the ambient air and using that air as a means to be used and designed as a dehydrator.
The above patents disclose large and small water condensing units, none realizing the benefits of heated dehydrated air as a source of preserving fruits and vegetables, and none conveniently operate all functions with a remote control.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,512 discloses a fixed-position, large-volume, high-rate generator suitable for supplying drinking water to an entire office building, laundry, etc. The device is described as “having ducts for bringing this supply of ambient air to the device and for releasing the air back outside the device after it has been processed.” The attached, permanent “ductwork” is characterized further as “extending through an outside wall of the structure or dwelling.” While sensors, indicators, interlocks, alarms for the UV lamps, air filters and water filters are mentioned briefly in Reidy, other major components of the apparatus are usually characterized by single-word descriptions such as “air filter element”, “evaporator coils”, “condenser coils”, etc. In Reidy's patents mentioned above, the drain is located on the base of his water generator, a position which makes the drains completely unsuitable for dispensing water unless the machine is placed on legs or mounted in a cabinet. Reidy (512) teaches two passes of water past an ultraviolet light tube to kill bacteria. Reidy (512) has a number of additional limitations and shortcomings: the user must set the humidistat and thermostat. Reidy makes no provision for insect or rodent proofing of the cabinet. The gravity flow water filter of Reidy (512) is located under the collection pan and is severely limited in both flow rate and minimum pore size by the gravity-feed pressure head.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,516 to Poindexter, there is no germicidal light or a remote collection diverter valve. A drain is shown in FIG. 2 but none in FIG. 1. The drain is shown on the bottom of the apparatus which, if on the floor, is essentially inoperable and, if raised on a stand, makes a top-heavy unit which would require permanent wall anchors. Poindexter further claims a stainless steel air-cooling coil and collection pan which adds significantly to the cost of manufacturing and does not specify the specific type of stainless steel, 314L, which is required for water handling in production facilities. The specification goes into great detail on the types of chemicals usable to clean areas which contact the water.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,203 to Engle et al., there are essentially two tandem dehumidifiers. A second-stage compressor with its condenser coil immersed in the storage tank produces heated water. One familiar with the art realizes that such heated water would never reach 75° C. A further problem of locating the condenser coil in the storage tank is that it prevents removal of the tank for cleaning without opening the refrigerant system. Still further maintenance problems arise from the positioning of drains, i.e., there are no external dispensing valves and the drain valves are poorly located for replacing the valves because of the limited access inherent in their location.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,459 to Harrison, a UV lamp tube is used to treat the discharge water stream; this indicates that bacteria and/or algae may be growing within the unit or its plumbing connections. This unit also must be primed initially with approximately 10 liters of start-up water which can be a source of initial contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are neither removed nor broken down by either UV radiation or granular carbon charcoal. In Harrison, the compressor operates to maintain a cold set-point temperature within the water reservoir, i.e., the compressor operates to cool the fluid remaining in the reservoir even when the device is not actively producing water condensate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,442 to Swanson, some of the same deficiencies as in Harrison (459) are present. Further, Swanson lacks an air filter or a UV disinfecting system. While Swanson's discharge device is shown in one figure, the location and operating parameters are not specified.
Brym (U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,053) provides a UV-activated catalyst water purifier/dispenser for tap water (well or public supply), which can be installed below the counter or enclosed in a cabinet. This unit merely treats water supplied to it, and, in the process, a certain portion of the incoming flow is diverted to waste.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,829 to Michael discloses a device for producing and filtering “drinking” water across “activated charcoal” and a “plastic mesh microspore filter.” It is not and is not compliant with NSF-53 relative to VOC removal. Further, it has no provision for continuing circulation of water in order to maintain purity, or a thermostat sensor to prevent formation of ice on cooling surfaces of the enclosed atmospheric chilling collection coils.
Thus, all of the prior art patents cited above use a typical refrigerant deicer system to keep their evaporators from freezing under low condensate flow rates, which can occur with cool ambient air. For example, Reidy (512) shows water production stopping at about 10° C. This limitation occurs because: (a) obtaining condensate is inefficient, (b) condensation is not cost effective at such low temperatures and (c) the evaporator tends to freeze over at lower temperatures. This limitation also occurs because of the design of the water-generating device using a typical hot-gas bypass deicer which is not computer controlled for temperature/humidity combinations. All of the devices cited above are large capacity refrigerant gas dehumidifiers. The refrigerant gas from the compressor cools an evaporator coil and, when ambient air is passed by the coil, moisture condenses out and drips to a collector below. When operated over extended periods or in cooler temperatures, the evaporator tends to freeze over due to low flow rate of condensate. In this situation, the compressor is designed to switch over to hot-gas bypass mode. A thermostat and/or humidistat control assists in determining when the compressor switches over. This on/off cycle during cooler temperatures drastically reduces production of water until the compressor eventually stops when the temperature of the incoming air is too low.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,453 to Forsberg, Forsberg claims the ability to connect the portable unit to city water supply in times of low humidity. Forsberg does not have a sediment filter, which is necessary for city or well water supplies. Forsberg has a single charcoal filter, which, if hooked up to city water, will clog the filter in a very short time therefore ruining the filter and adding no future protection.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,223 to MacPherson et al., there is described a thermoelectric, TE cooler attached to a medicine-cooler bag containing an insulin vial. The drug vial cooler disclosed is a non-circulating, closed, small-volume, sterile fluid system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,749 to Zakryk, there is described a water cooler with a TE cooling junction integrated into the side walls of the holding tank. Zakryk's U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,461 describes and claims the water cooler of his '749 patent which further includes a water filter assembly.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,830 to Doke et al., there is described a TE apparatus integrated into an insulated picnic or food-transport container.
There is thus a need for a combined dehydrator and condensed water dispenser which dehydrates fruits and vegetables preserving them for future consumption and thus benefits those who rely on seasonal crops as a main food source. Such a device should be portable and the water extracted from the humidity taken out of the ambient air should make the air dry enough to dehydrate fruits and vegetables and the recovered water should become a valuable drinking source. Such a system should act as a food and water source and be able to operate off of a solar panel.